Wireless communications systems are well known in which persons may initiate or receive a call using a wireless communication device (e.g., mobile phone). Wireless communication service is commercially available, for example, from Verizon™, Cingular™ and US Cellular™ wireless service providers. As presently known, wireless communication service is available to customers having subscribed to a service agreement with a wireless service provider and having a wireless communication device that is able to receive, decode and display satellite programming received from the service provider. The communication device wirelessly communicates, using radio frequency (RF) communication resources, with one or more base stations that are geographically distributed at various sites. The base stations are connected to a call processing control entity, commonly known as Mobile Switching Center (MSC), which coordinates calls and allocates communication resources for different communication devices as they roam from site to site or even to different communication networks. The service provider maintains an infrastructure including, without limitation, base stations, mobile switching centers (MSCs) and billing center(s) to support the wireless communication service.
Satellite television (“satellite TV”) is another well-known service that is available today from various service providers. Satellite TV is commercially available, for example, from DirecTV™ and Dish Network™ satellite TV service providers. As presently known, satellite TV is available only to customers having subscribed to a service agreement with the satellite TV service provider and having the necessary equipment (e.g., antenna, receiver and TV monitor) to receive, decode and display satellite programming received from the service provider. Typically, the equipment resides in a fixed location such as a residence or business. The service provider maintains an infrastructure including, for example and without limitation, antennas, network devices (including content servers, routers and the like), subscriber database(s) and a billing system) to deliver and support the satellite TV service. The satellite TV infrastructure is entirely separate from that of wireless communication service infrastructure. Typically, satellite TV subscribers are billed a fixed price per month depending on the stations or packages of stations to which they subscribe.
Presently, because existing wireless telephony services and satellite TV services are entirely separate entities, customers desiring both services are required to have separate equipment and separate service agreements and are billed separately for the respective services. A related problem is that satellite TV service and wireless telephony service as presently known are provided in incompatible formats—satellite TV provides a high-fidelity multimedia (audio and video) broadcast whereas wireless telephony service typically provides a comparatively less robust audio (e.g., voice) signal with limited or no video capability. Some modern-day mobile phones include an integrated digital camera with video display and these phones are known to send fixed images (i.e., photos) but are not known to send or receive moving video images. It would be desirable to integrate the services at least in part, such that wireless telephony subscribers may access a derivative form of satellite TV service via their mobile phone (i.e., without the need for a separate satellite TV receiver).
It is contemplated that satellite TV derivative programming via mobile phone service would benefit both wireless telephony service providers and satellite TV service providers in terms of increased customer satisfaction and increased revenue. Advantageously, the satellite TV derivative programming may be provided in various format(s) including, without limitation, audio-only format or audio and video compatible with existing or future capabilities of mobile phones. Still further, satellite TV derivative programming via mobile phone might be accommodated via a single service agreement and a single billing statement with either the wireless telephony service provider or the satellite TV service provider; or alternatively, the respective service providers may still use separate service agreements and/or send separate billing statements.